Rudd stresses China's role in shaping regional future

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-08-13 10:00

SINGAPORE -- Visiting Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd stressed on Tuesday the importance of China in shaping the Asia-Pacific region's future.

In a speech which he made on Tuesday, Kevin Rudd said that the rise of China and India, with China in particular, represents the great unfolding drama of this new century.

The Australian premier also urged China, the United States and Japan to help establish an Asia-Pacific community of nations by 2020, saying that such a community would be a forum for the region 's countries to discuss economic, security and political issues.

But for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the grouping has voiced a different view over Kevin Rudd's proposal for such community.

In June this year, Singapore, the then ASEAN rotating presidency, said in a statement that "Singapore, like all ASEAN countries, is committed to the principle that ASEAN should be at the center of any regional architecture. All ASEAN dialogue partners have supported this principle. Prime Minister Rudd's proposal appears to be a departure from Australia's previous position."

Pointing out that the region's current unions, such as ASEAN, were too limited in scope to tackle region-wide problems, the Australian premier said that the region's armed forces should make closer coordination to respond better to natural disasters in the future.

The Australian premier also announced a plan to make his country the most "Asia-literate country" in the West, pledging to boost the investment in the study of Asian languages and culture in schools and universities.

He emphasized that his country's future would also depend on its ability to engage constructively and effectively with the countries of the Asia Pacific region.

Kevin Rudd arrived here on Tuesday to start his first one-day official visit to the city state.

During his stay here, Kevin Rudd also inked with his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong an agreement to further strengthen defense cooperation between the two countries.